FTR #254 Vouch For This!

1. One of the principal issues in the 2000 campaign has been “education.” In California, a ballot initiative was placed before voters that offered to pay families to send children to private school. This voucher initiative, “Proposition 38,” was the brainchild of Tim Draper, a California Republican. (The San Jose Mercury News; 10/19/2000; p.1A.) Although Mr. Emory does not impugn Draper’s character, it is important to note that (appearances to the contrary notwithstanding) Draper is the heir to a legacy that is the opposite of the image projected in the article about Proposition 38.

2. The article stresses Draper’s alleged enthusiasm for multi-culturalism, the fabled “melting pot” and a “level playing field” for all. (Ibid.; p. 22A.)

3. Excerpting FTR-102, the broadcast points out that the Draper family has a deep historical involvement with fascism and doctrinaire racism. Draper’s grandfather, William H. Draper Jr., was heavily involved with promoting investment in Germany between the World Wars. (The Splendid Blonde Beast: Money, Law and Genocide in the 20th Century; Christopher Simpson; softcover edition Common Courage Press; copyright 1995.)

4. W.H. Draper Jr.’s work on behalf of Germany was done while working for a subsidiary of the investment firm of Dillon, Read & Company. (Idem.)

5. After the war, Draper (as a brigadier general) was one of the principal figures in charge of the economic reconstruction of Germany. (Idem.)

6. In that capacity, he saw to it that the same industrialists and financiers who had backed Hitler were retained in positions of economic responsibility in the “new” Germany. (Idem.)

7. Next, the program discusses the Pioneer Fund, a pro-eugenics organization that was a major influence on the eugenics thinking and legislation of that period. (The Nazi Connection: Eugenics, American Racism and German National Socialism; Stefan Kuhl; hardcover copyright 1994; Oxford University Press.)

8. Wyckliffe Draper (the cousin of William H. Draper Jr.) was the principal financial backer of the Pioneer Fund. (Idem.) As noted in other programs, American eugenicists wielded a profound influence on their German colleagues and, in turn, the development of the Third Reich’s racial legislation.

9. The Pioneer Fund was a major influence on the racist bestseller The Bell Curve.
(“The Funding of the Science,” by Barry Mehler; The Searchlight; 7/1998.)

10. The broadcast concludes with a look at the collaboration of William H. Draper Jr. and George H.W. Bush in formulating a policy of “population control” in the Third World. (Emerging Viruses–AIDS & Ebola: Nature, Accident or Intentional?; Dr. Leonard Horowitz; hardcover copyright 1996; Tetrahedron.)

4 comments for “FTR #254 Vouch For This!”

Woah, large numbers of well paid workers aren’t jumping at the chance to create a wealthy techno-enclave? Bizarre:

HullabalooVenture Capitalist shocked that not everyone is a selfish jackass like him
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
by David Atkins

The venture capitalist who wants to turn California into six different states is shocked that the wealthiest, most liberal parts of the state want nothing to do with his plan:

Venture capitalist Tim Draper says he is getting “close” to collecting the necessary 800,000 signatures needed to get his “Six Californias” measure before state voters in 2014 — but he acknowledges his own internal polling shows Silicon Valley is most opposed to the idea of splitting the state into six parts.

“You’d think that Silicon Valley would benefit” greatest from the plan, said Draper, whose plan calls for the foundation of a state of Silicon Valley, which economists suggest would likely be the richest state in the nation. But “Silicon Valley is the least likely to vote for this,” Draper acknowledged Tuesday. “It’s bizarre.”

Draper made the statements at a salon before a crowd of tech insiders, journalists and San Francisco business insiders Tuesday night. The evening of discussion to explore the idea of California secession was hosted in the San Francisco home of public relations guru Susan MacTavish, founder of the Living Mactavish fashion, food and design website…

Draper on Tuesday would not reveal his internal polling — other than to say generally that numbers in Silicon Valley are strongly opposed to the plan and other more conservative parts of the state, like the Central Valley, are in favor. “This is not going to happen overnight,” he said.

It’s always a big shock to selfish rich people that most other well-to-do people aren’t as selfish as they are. It’s important to remember that many of the very wealthy are like Warren Buffett, people who vote primarily for Democrats and aren’t afraid to pay a little more in taxes to have a fruitful, stable and fairer society. It’s not even the 1% that are ruining things for the rest of us; it’s a very sociopathic, very energetic fraction of that 1%. And they’re really shocked when other people don’t behave as asininely as they do.

Meanwhile, it’s no surprise that the most conservative–and poorest–parts of the state are in favor this guy’s plan. The rubes who get the most from government services always believe that some poorer, darker city dweller is getting their hard-earned money. It’s the oldest con in the book, and they buy into it every time.

Muddled scheming usually works in politics, and it seems to be resonating with parts of the state, but not Silicon Valley. What’s going wrong this time? Could it be too muddled:

Los Angeles Times
OpinionTim Draper’s argument for splitting California into six states makes zero sense

Among other things, the 55-year-old claims that viral marketing is his “original suggestion.” (Whatever.) He founded the nonaccredited Draper University of Heroes for aspiring entrepreneurs, based in part on Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. He’s been called “George W.’s point man in Silicon Valley,” but he voted for Barack Obama in 2008.

Draper’s latest foray into the political arena is a proposed ballot initiative that, if he garners the required 807,000 signatures, will ask voters in November to do for the Golden State what the 1990s did to Yugoslavia — split California into six states. (This is his second dance. Voters rejected his mandatory school vouchers proposition in 2000.)

“California as it is ungovernable,” Draper says. “It is more and more difficult for Sacramento to keep up with the social issues from the various regions of California. With six Californias, people will be closer to their state governments, and states can get a refresh.”

Actually, the result wouldn’t be six Californias. It would be six pieces of what used to be California:

San Diego + Orange County = South California

L.A. + Santa Barbara = West California

Bakersfield + Fresno + Stockton = Central California

San Francisco + San Jose = Silicon Valley

Sacramento = North California

Eureka + Redding metro = the awesome, totally not broke, state of Jefferson

Is Draper’s measure a good idea? I don’t know. What I do know is that the arguments Draper makes in favor of balkanization make zero sense. Whatever the merits of his splitsville scheme, it’s scary to endorse anything ginned up by such a messy mind.

Consider these excerpts from Draper’s recent interview with Time. They make fellow right-wing multimillionaire Donald Trump look levelheaded in comparison:

“We now spend the most and get the least. We spend among the most for education and we’re 46th in education. We spend among the most for prisons, and we are among the highest recidivism rates…. So the status quo is failing. And there have been some very good people running California, governing California. So it must be systemic. At best, the system seems to be on a spiral down. At worst it’s a monopoly, and in a monopoly, they can charge whatever they want and provide whatever service they want. In a competitive environment, people get good service and they pay fair prices.”

…

Draper says the state is a monopoly that “can charge whatever they want and provide whatever service they want.” To the extent that that’s true, it’s true of all governments. It’s not as if drivers in West California will be able to pay lower fees for their driver’s licenses by getting them in South California, or that South California would have any incentive to offer lower fees, i.e., compete.

…

We don’t have to look far for examples of states whose capitals are closer to their citizenry. New England is divvied into tiny states. “Our government will be more in touch with our individual constituents” if California breaks into smaller parts, says Draper. If he’s right, the New England states should be a shining beacon of governance. But they’re not. They’re just average.

There is just no evidence that efficient or responsive service is related to a state’s size. History, resources and luck are the real determinants.

By most standards, Vermont and Massachusetts offer better services to their citizens than Maine or New Hampshire (not to mention livelier job markets). But they’re not competing against each other. Why don’t we see an exodus of former Mainers to Vermont? People who stay in Maine stay there because they like it. They grew up there. Their families are there. They dig the lobster rolls. Whatever. They’re not going to move to Massachusetts just to get Romneycare.

Here’s Draper again in Time: “The strongest argument for six Californias is that we are not well represented. The people down south are very concerned with things like immigration law, and the people way up north are frustrated by taxation without representation. And the people in coastal California are frustrated because of water rights. And the people in Silicon Valley are frustrated because the government doesn’t keep up with technology. And in Los Angeles, their issues revolve around copyright law.”

Seriously, though, doesn’t Draper know that the federal government, not the state, has jurisdiction over border control? Tech regulations, the Internet — that is the feds too. And copyright.

If the strongest argument in favor of breaking up California is to address issues that states don’t control — well, don’t make me say it.

Draper adds: “I’ve noticed that the people most adamant about creating their own state or being a part of their own state are the poorest regions, and in the current system, they are not happy, because it is not working for them. So if they had their own state, I believe all of those states would become wealthier.”

By Draper’s reasoning, Mississippi and Alabama — the nation’s poorest states — should split apart too. They’d all become wealthier, right?

…

It might seem like there’s no such thing as a too-muddled argument in America politics, but that was a pretty confusing mess of arguments put forth by Draper. The central idea behind his argument – the idea that dividing states up to create “competitive” governments that compete for services improves life for everyone – just doesn’t make any sense. Why? Because Moving to a new state isn’t some casual transaction. Sure, the wealthy might be able to afford to do, but for the rest of us any tweaks in states services probably isn’t going to make moving worth it. It’s not a real competition.

The wealthy Silicon Valley investor who wants to split California into six separate states says he’s gathered enough signatures to put the effort to the ballot in 2016.

Venture capitalist Timothy Draper’s Six Californias initiative tweeted Monday that he planned to file the signatures Tuesday in Sacramento.

#SixCalifornias will be submitting signatures in Sacramento tomorrow for placement on the November 2016 ballot. Stay tuned for coverage!— Six Californias (@SixCalifornias) July 14, 2014

A spokesman for the campaign, Roger Salazar, told Reuters that that the initiative had gathered more than the roughly 808,000 signatures needed to place it on the November 2016 ballot.

…

Draper has invested $750,000 of his own money in the initiative, which would partition Silicon Valley off from the rest of the state. A Field Poll conducted in February found that 59 percent of residents opposed Draper’s plan, however, and even if voters were to approve the measure it would still require the approval of the U.S. Congress.

Elsewhere on Pando today, Sarah has reviewed Episode Three of “Startup U,” the reality show based on Tim Draper’s “University of Heroes.”

For me, the most shocking moment of the show is one that the programme’s makers slipped in almost as an easter egg: The daily pledge that Draper’s students are forced to recite every morning, like American school children pledging allegiance to the flag or prisoners in the Philippines dancing to Thriller in the exercise yard.

Viewers were treated only to one line from the pledge before cameras cut away:

“I will promote freedom at all costs.”

Ho. Ly. Shit.

…

Now, thanks to Draper U “star” and new Pando reader David Kram, we have the entire text of the pledge. Certainly the freedom line is the most loony libertarian part of it, but the whole thing beggars belief. Again, this is what Draper demands his paid students chant every morning before they set to work. It’s called “The Superhero Oath.”

I will promote freedom at all costs.

I will do everything in my power to drive, build and pursue progress and change.

My brand, my network, and my reputation are paramount.

I will set positive examples for others to emulate.

I will instill good habits in myself. I will take care of myself.

I will fail and fail again until I succeed.

I will explore the world with gusto and enthusiasm.

I will treat people well.

I will make short term sacrifices for long term success.

I will pursue fairness, openness, health and fun with all that I encounter. Mostly fun.

I will keep my word.

I will try my best to make reparations for my digressions.

So far, these people are being groomed to murder us all.

But then come the caveats. Because no one wants to be penned in by promises to “keep my word,” “treat people well” and “pursue fairness, openness, health” should those pledges get in the way of… yunno… disruption or freedom.

And so we have…

The Black Swan Clause: I am bound to this oath unless in my travels I determine that the oath has somehow missed something important and extraordinary.

Like genocide, perhaps.

Or travelling the world, enslaving indigenous populations and forcibly converting them to Draperism…

The Evangelism Clause: I will promote and add to the ongoing success of Draper University, its students, its faculty, its administration, and its facilities. I will help prepare the next generation of Superheroes.

(That one’s non-negotiable as this guy found out when he broke the pledge…

Tim had me write out his Evangelism Clause 100 times on public walls after I posted about my frustration with having personal property stolen on social media. (I understood that he felt like it might damage his reputation.)

P.S.

The Superhero Clause: I will accept the lifelong obligation to hone my Superhero powers, and apply those Superhero powers to the good of the universe.